Wrestlers deliver powerful message

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By Andy Barrand

Hillsdale.net - Hillsdale, MI

By Andy Barrand

Posted Jan. 21, 2013 at 1:00 PM

By Andy Barrand

Posted Jan. 21, 2013 at 1:00 PM

Hillsdale, Mich.

andy.barrand@hillsdale.net

WALDRON — Kindergartners and first-graders were sitting patiently in the music room at Waldron Elementary School Friday morning waiting to see wrestlers Nitro and Malice. The pair, from the Championship International Wrestling organization, were on hand at the school to deliver a very important message. Nitro and Malice and six other wrestlers with the group spoke with the entire student body about bullying. Later in the day the students were also treated to an exhibition from the wrestlers. Friday’s program, "Wrestlers, Hearts, Impacting, People (W.H.I.P.)," was the first one the wrestlers had done. Phil Monahan (Nitro) and Chris Leep (Malice) ran the program, changing up each of the programs throughout the day as they talked with students. The wrestlers met with classes in separate groups, day gearing their conversations to each of the students' levels. Despite the language, their message was the same in all of the programs: Say no to bullying. “In real life you want to treat everyone with respect,” Leep said. “Treat others as you want to be treated.” As the wrestlers asked the students what it meant to be bullied they all gave the same answers — hurting someone through words or physically. “It can be anything that makes you feel bad about yourself,” said Leep. Several of the wrestlers shared first-hand stories with the students about how they were bullied during school. “I got picked on in school — you are the one that has to be the stronger person,” said Andy Shane. “The best thing to do is be sure of yourself.” Jay Thomas, a videographer with the group, said he looked forward to Saturdays growing up because that was the day the National Wrestling Association was on television. “I looked forward to it because Monday through Friday at school I would be made fun of,” he said. “My only solace was watching the NWA. It was my escape.

“Bullying is something when you are going through it people don’t know how bad it makes you feel,” he added. All of the wrestlers shared the same message: If you are being bullied, find someone you can talk to and walk away. Never fight back.

During the high school program the wrestlers also talked about drugs, alcohol and suicide. They believe that students will relate with the message if it comes in a more entertaining form. The wrestlers worked to make each program entertaining for the students. “I thought the programs got better as we went on,” said Monahan.